


'Til Death Do Us Part

by Lara_the_daydreamer



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ben Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Brotherly Love, Death, Family, Family Feels, Flashbacks, Good Brother Ben Hargreeves, Grief/Mourning, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Klaus Hargreeves Deserves Better, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Memories, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-07 12:11:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18410390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lara_the_daydreamer/pseuds/Lara_the_daydreamer
Summary: The grief becomes too much.Klaus can't handle all of the memories.It hurts too bad.After a desperate attempt to end his misery, Klaus becomes determined to get both Dave and Ben back and he will stop at nothing to do so.This is story of family and true love and their power to defeat grief, pain and fear.





	'Til Death Do Us Part

_It had been around two months since Klaus travelled back in time and ended up in Vietnam._

_He turned over in the uncomfortable bed he had gotten used to and glanced at Dave, sleeping on the one beside him._

_A small smile formed on his lips as he thought about how the soldier resembled and angel when he slept._

_It was a strange thing, honestly, how someone could make him feel so drunk and so high when he’d never been more sober._

_“I can feel you staring.” Dave mumbled with a sleepy smile on his face._

_“Well, can you blame me?” Klaus retorted not feeling at all embarrassed, maybe a few butterflies swarmed in his stomach at Dave’s husky voice but that was all._

_Dave chuckled and then suddenly got up._

_Before Klaus could ask him what he was doing, the man laid next to him on the bed that was, mind you, extremely small._

_They were both laying on their sides, facing eachother._

_Klaus shuddered at how close they were._

_He could see every gorgeous blue speck in Dave’s eyes, count every scar and freckle on his face._

_He really was incredibly beautiful, Klaus thought._

_“Why are you awake?” Dave asked, interrupting Klaus’ daydream._

_“Can’t sleep.” He simply shrugged._

_Dave wasn’t satisfied with that answer._

_“Wow, that was specific.” He smiled sarcastically and Klaus rolled his eyes._

_Truth is, he had woken up from a horrific nightmare._

_Now that he was sober all the ghosts he fought so hard to chase away were back again to haunt him._

_That, combined with the horrors he’d witnessed in the war made it very difficult to sleep._

_“I’m serious,” Dave put a hand on Klaus’ shoulder and his breath hitched in his throat at the soft touch, “tell me what’s bothering you.”_

_“If I told you, you’d think I’m crazy.” Klaus chuckled sadly._

_“I already think you’re crazy.” Dave smiled, chuckling._

_And there was just **something** in that smile that made Klaus’ eyes fill with tears._

_No one had ever looked at him like that, hell, no one ever looked at him at all._

_He didn’t notice the tears falling from his eyes until Dave reached forward and  wiped them away._

_“Hey, what’s wrong?”_

_“Nothing,” Klaus smiled a shaky smile, “It’s just…no one’s ever looked at me like you are right now. Like I’m…worth something.”_

_They looked at eachother for a moment more, neither saying a word but both understanding._

_Dave understood the fear and hurt in Klaus’ hazel eyes and Klaus realised, after so long, someone actually cared about him._

_“Klaus,” Dave kept his hand on Klaus’ cheek, “You’re worth everything.”_

_Those three simple words were enough._

_Klaus shattered, falling forward into Dave’s chest, crying like he’d never cried before._

_It was too much._

_All the emotions rushing through him all at once made him dizzy, the only thing keeping him grounded being the warmth of Dave’s arms around him._

_In between sobs and whimpers he told Dave everything, he poured his heart out for once without the fear of being judged or laughed at._

_Dave listened and that was all Klaus ever asked for._

_For someone to listen._

_“That’s…a lot.” Dave said once Klaus had finished his story._

_“So you believe me?” Klaus sniffled, still hiding in his chest._

_Dave’s arms were wraped around Klaus gently yet protectively and Klaus had never felt more at home than in the arms of this man._

_“Not even you are imaginative enough to make up that story.” Dave joked and Klaus giggled, wiping his eyes._

_He moved up so he was once again face to face with Dave, only this time they were even closer, their noses brushing._

_Klaus never thought he’d experience a moment so ridiculously cliché and beautiful._

_“Dave?” Klaus whispered._

_“Yeah?”_

_“Kiss me.”_

_Love me, make me forget the pain, help me, save me, heal me, all of this was contained in a simple request._

_Kiss me._

_Dave obliged, leaning forward and capturing Klaus’ lips softly in his own._

_They moved together slowly, tenderly._

_It was a soft, fearful kiss, both of them worried they’d do something wrong, they’d wake up from this dream._

_Klaus let himself drown in the warmth and sweetness of Dave’s lips and in that moment all the voices in his head went quiet, every fear and every ounce of pain he had ever felt was overpowered by the intensity of emotions radiating off of Dave._

_No drugs, no alcohol and yet he was so incredibly happy, like he’d never been before._

_He wasn’t numb and yet he wasn’t in pain, something he didn’t think was possible._

_Once they pulled away, both breathless and dazed, Klaus smiled widely, his heart swelling with the adoration he felt for the man in fron of him._

_“You’re incredible, you know that right?” Dave asked._

_“Agree to disagree.”_

_“Klaus!”_

_“Maybe you should kiss me again, prove me wrong.” Klaus teased with a smirk._

_“Oh well, if I must.” Dave wore a matching teasing grin as he leaned back in._

_For a moment everything was perfect._

_But no moment lasts forever._

Klaus clutched the dog tags around his neck tightly, until his kunuckles turned white and he coud feel the cold metal cutting into the palm of his trembling hand.

“Klaus?” Diego’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

“Y-yeah?” He stuttered, struggling to keep his voice steady.

“You’re crying.” His brother stated, finishig his breakfast and placing his dishes in the sink.

Klaus wiped at his face quickly, clearing his throat and getting up to leave.

“Klaus, wait.” Diego called, his voice stern.

“What?” Klaus turned around with a smile that was not at all convincing.

“What’s wrong?”

It was a very simple question and yet it Klaus found it impossible to answer.

His scilence captured the attention of Five and Allison who were eating silently up to that point.

“Klaus?” Allison asked, her voice hoarse from her newly healed injury.

Five raised his brows, inspecting his brother’s shaky frame and fearful eyes.

Klaus shook his head, clearing his swraming thoughts and grabbed his dog tags absentmindedly, “I-…” He trailed off, not daring to meet the curious stares of his siblings.

“Are you okay?” Vanya spoke up too, quietly but worriedly.

_“Are you okay?” Dave asked, sitting on the edge of the cliff, next to his trembling boyfriend._

_Klaus shook his head “no” crawling into his arms, hiding his face in his neck._

_“What happened?” Dave asked, gently running his hand up and down Klaus’ back and rocking them slowly back and forth._

_“S-so m-many dead…s-soldiers…see…t-them…g-ghosts.” Klaus stuttered, shaking in fear as he stared into the cold dead eyes of a soldier right behind them, one he’d killed in a battle._

_“Oh, sweetheart.” Dave whispered, kissing Klaus’ head._

_It hurt him so bad to see Klaus in so much pain, so utterly terrified and he couldn’t do anything about it._

_He tried to wait it out, let Klaus calm down on his own but his trembling and sobs only got worse._

_“Klaus! Hey, look at me.” Dave pulled him up so they were face to face, forcing their eyes to meet._

_Klaus sniffled and shut his eyes tightly as another ghost screamed at him, blaming him for his death._

_With no clue if this would work, Dave leaned in and kissed Klaus hard on the lips._

_After a short moment of hesitation, Klaus’ arms wraped around Dave’s shoulders pulling him impossibly close, his lips moving against the other’s desperately._

_They only pulled away when their lungs started burning for air and Klaus let out a shaky gasp of surprise._

_“They…they’re gone…” He whispered, leaning his forehead against Dave’s._

_“You make it go away,” Klaus said, his voice small, childlike, “You make the pain go away.”_

“Klaus!” Diego yelled, grasping his shoulders.

Only then Klaus became aware of the sharp pain on the palm of his hand and the blood dripping down his arms.

He quickly released the bloody tags, inhaling sharply.

“Dude, what the hell?! What’s going on with you?” Diego asked, his voice going from pissed to worried.

“Dave…” Klaus whispered, not loud enough for anyone else to hear.

Realisation crossed Diego’s face.

He was the only person Klaus’ had ever told about Dave, not much but the most he’s ever said out loud.

He gave Klaus a slightly awkward pat on the shoulder and sent him a sympathetic look.

Klaus smiled weakly and left the room.

No one called after him.

 

“Klaus?” Ben called out, appearing next to his brother who was sprawled out on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

He didn’t reply.

“I know not talking to anyone and drowning in your own sorrow is kind of your thing, but I’m here if you need me.” Ben continued and Klaus let out a dark chuckle.

“It’s not that I don’t want to talk,” He said bitterly, “It’s that no one wants to listen.”

Ben sighed, sitting cross-legged on the bed, next to Klaus.

He didn’t say anything else, he didn’t need to, knowing Klaus would speak when he was ready.

“It sucks.” Klaus said after some time.

Ben would’ve hugged him if he could.

“It hurts so bad I can’t breathe. I can’t stand thinking of him and yet he’s all I can think about.” Klaus said, silent tears falling from his eyes.

“Have you tried cojuring him? Maybe it would be easier if you could at least talk to him.” Ben suggested.

“Don’t you think I’ve done that already?!” Klaus snapped but regretted it immediately and sighed, “Sorry.”

“So it didn’t work?”

“Nope.” Klaus sighed again, covering his face with his hands.

“Well, you managed to make me corporeal twice. What did both those times have in common?” Ben thought out loud.

“Do I look like I know?” Klaus rolled his eyes.

“Okay, okay, chill. I’m just trying to help.” Ben sighed.

There was a long moment of uncomfotable, tension-filled scilence.

“Would you be mad if I asked you to let me be alone for a bit?” Klaus then aksed

Ben looked at him sadly but faded away without another word.

Truth be told, Ben was getting progressively more worried about Klaus and he felt more and more helpless and powerless, knowing there was close to nothing he could do to help.

Him and Klaus were the closest out of all the siblings.

They were together almost at all times, wether it be on missions or just goofing around in eachother’s rooms, the two brothers were inseparable.

They understood eachother with little to no words exchanged and it was comforting for both of them to have someone who gets them, someone to talk to or just sit in scilence with.

Ben was the type to keep to himself and Klaus understood that better than the others.

They used to just sit in scilence, each doing their own thing, just letting the other’s presence comfort them.

 

Klaus took off his dog tags and looked at them with sorrow in his eyes.

The shimmering reflection of the candle by his bed on the tags reminded him of the glimmer in Dave’s eyes when he smiled.

There was still blood smeared on them from earlier that day, the dried crimson ruining the silver glow of the tags and it took him right back to _that_ moment.

The moment his entire world came crashing down.

_Shots rang through the air, bodies fell, soldiers screamed-_

_Everything was blur as they danced to the sick beat of attack and defense._

_Klaus was aware of Dave’s ragged breaths next to him, glancing at him every once in a while._

_Dave, even in the chaos of battle, managed to send Klaus a charming reasurring smile._

_Then, in a split second, everything went to hell._

_A shot rang through the air, the sickening sound of a bullet ripping through flesh and the thud of a body hitting the muddy ground made Klaus freeze._

_He already knew what he was going to see when he turns his head and yet a scream of terror fell from his lips at the sight._

_The screams and explosions faded away, the bullets flying aroiund him didn’t phase him, he didn’t care for the orders being shouted._

_Nothing mattered anymore._

_Nothing._

_“Dave! Dave, no! Stay with me please!” He begged pressing his trembling hands against Dave’s bleeding chest, trying desperately to keep his lover alive._

_It was as if the world was gone, it was just him and his bleeding love._

_Dave smiled, blood oozing from his pale lips._

_Still, even when he was dying, Dave tried to reassure Klaus, to calm him down._

_He opened his mouth but all that came out was chocked shout of pain._

_Klaus sobbed, clutching Dave’s hand in his, begging and pleading for him to be okay, to stay awake._

_He couldn’t breathe._

_The cold fingers of dread wraped around his throat, choking him._

_The cold fist of grief clutched his aching heart, making him feel like he too was dying._

_He saw the life slowly fade from Dave’s blue irises, he could feel the energy fading away and it hurt._

_God, it hurt._

_It hurt so bad he felt like he was suffocating, he could feel his heart shattering into thousands of shards, each one stabbing him like a knife._

_“Dave…” He whimpered, pressing their foreheads together, his warm tears falling onto Dave’s cold cheeks._

_“I love you…I’ll always love you.”_

“I’ll always love you.” Klaus muttered, closing his eyes, the terrors of war flashing through his mind.

He pressed the tags to his lips.

He imagined it was Dave’s lips he was kissing, Dave’s strong arms around him, protecting him.

The thought of Dave lulled him into sleep.

He faded into a world where he could dream of happier times, even if only for a little while.

 

Ben wandered around his childhood home.

He couldn’t go far without Klaus but it seemed he could walk through most of the mansion.

He was pissed.

Pissed at his sibling for forgetting all that was important and instead losing themselves petty arguments in a desperate attempt to erase the scars of their childhood.

He wished Luther would see how similar to Reginald he was actually becoming and would just go back to being himself.

He wished Allison would stop blaming herself for so many things, he wished she could see her daughter.

He wished Diego didn’t hide all his feelings, pretending to be this heartless monster, he wished he would just show how scared and hurt he actually was.

And poor Vanya.

Even though the apocalypse was stopped and she was slowly getting a grip on her powers, the poor woman was beyond terrified of herself and what she had done.

Finally, he wished Klaus didn’t have to go through all this pain and grief.

He wished there was something he could do to make it easier.

Ben wanted to help, he wanted to be _alive._

He would never tell Klaus this, but it was horrible, being a ghost.

All he could do was stand by and watch as his family crumbled to pieces.

Klaus had woken up hours ago, another nightmare plaguing his sleep.

His room was dreadfully cold.

His body ached, every muscle tense and painful, he was covered in cold sweat, trembling. He felt like he was going to throw up, his stomach turning and twisting with the horrific images of the nightmare still flashing before his eyes.

He was tired, so very tired.

With a heavy sigh he got up.

As he was walking to the window, Klaus caught his reflection in the mirror.

Bags under his eyes, his hair toussled, sticky with sweat, his body underweight, his skin ghostly pale.

And his eyes, empty and dull, reflecting nothing but pain.

He was a broken shell of who he used to be, he was nothing.

Without Dave, he was nothing.

Useless.

Nothing.

_“Klaus! No!” Dave screamed as his boyfriend stood on the ledge, one step from falling from the hill._

_“Why not?! After everything I’ve done! I’m worthless! Just let me die!” Klaus screamed, so lost and broken._

_“No, sweetheart. You’re not worthless,” Dave spoke to him in a soft calm voice, “You are beautiful. You’re funny and smart, ridiculously sexy, you’re humble and honest. Klaus, you’re everything I’ve ever dreamed of. You do everything and expect nothing in return. I love you, Klaus.”_

_Klaus was shaking violently, hot tears flowing down his cheeks in thick streams._

_Dave’s words collided and clashed with his own self-destructive thoughts._

_“I-I love y-you too…” He managed to stutter._

_“Then get away from the edge, please. Klaus, please. Just step back, one little step. I’ll be right here to catch you.”_

_His own head screamed at him to jump, to just end it, but Dave’s soft voice and gentle tone pulled him back._

_Slowly, Klaus stepped back, stumbling into Dave’s arms, clutching tightly to his shirt._

_He sobbed muttering incoherent apologies, his body shaking violently._

_“Shhh,” Dave comfoted him gently, “You’re okay. You’re okay, sweetheart. I’ve got you. Shhh. I’m here. I’m right here.”_

_They sat there, on the damp grass, for a long time before Klaus managed to catch his breath._

_“Dave, I-…” He started but Dave interrupted him with a gentle kiss._

_“It’s okay. You don’t have to explain.”_

_“I don’t?”_

_“No, Klaus, you don’t. All I need you to do is promise me one thing. If you ever feel that way again, like you want to…hurt yourself…please come to me. Let me help you. You don’t have to do this alone.”_

_“Okay. I promise.” Klaus whispered, wraping his arms around Dave ad hiding in his chest, “Just promise me you’ll never leave me.”_

_“I promise,” Dave kissed his head, “Until death do us part, love.”_

“Death…” Klaus mumbled, staring at his deranged reflection.

He walked over to the door, locking it and then made his way to the window.

Shakily, he opened it, letting the crisp air bite his skin.

The chilling breeze was soothing on his burning sweaty skin.

It was a beautiful night, really. The city lights were dimmed in the foggy air and the leaves rustled calmly in the trees.

He gulped a deep breath of cold air and closed his eyes, stepping onto the ledge.

“I’m sorry, Dave. But you’re not here to stop me again. No one will stop me. No one cares enough to even try.” He whimpered.

 

Ben could feel it.

He could feel himself fading away meaning Klaus was nearing death.

He ran up to the room only to find the door locked and, since he was fading, he couldn’t even walk through it.

“Damn it, Klaus!” He cried, tugging on his hair.

He couldn’t lose Klaus.

His only connection to the real world, his brother, his family.

No.

“Klaus, open the door, please!” He yelled but to no avail.

He saw Allison walking down the hall.

“Allison!” He cried out forgetting she couldn’t hear him.

“Shit!” He yelled, frustration bubbling in his chest, bringing tears to his eyes.

“Please, Allison! You have to help him! Allison!” He tried to grab her but he slipped right through.

The rest of the siblings joined Allison in the hallway and were about to head out when Vanya interrupted.

“Shouldn’t we at least ask him if he wants to go?” She asked, reffering to Klaus.

“She’s right.” Diego agreed, heading to Klaus’ room.

Luther rolled his eyes.

“You really want to take Klaus to a club? He’ll get stoned and make a fool of himself.”

“Zip it you oversized dog.” Diego snarled, trying to open Klaus’ door.

Luther scoffed, subconciously tugging down the sleeves of his sweater.

“Klaus?” He knocked, “Klaus are you okay?”

“Leave him, he’s probably too high to function.” Luther said, earning himself a punch in the arm from Allison.

“Klaus!” Diego called out again but got no reply.

“Can we go now?” Luther’s childlike complaining pushed Diego over the edge.

“Can you shut the fuck up Reginald 2.0?! Klaus is my brother and I am going to make sure he’s okay. If you want to leave, go ahead.” He snapped and then turned back to the door.

Taking a few step back, he ran into it, breaking in.

“Shit! Klaus!” He yelped after which the others rushed in aswell.

The siblings froze, staring as their brother stood on the ledge of his window, ready to jump.

“Klaus.” Vanya was the first who dared speak to him, “I need you to listen to me.”

She took a careful step closer.

“Leave me! Please, please don’t stop me again! I need to do this! Please!” Klaus sobbed.

“I know how it feels, Klaus, to be so desperate you want to just end it all. I’ve been there, more times than I’d like to admit. But I never did it.”

“Why?” Klaus asked shakily.

“Because I remembered you. I remembered I had siblings who loved me in their own crazy ways. I had a family to live and to fight for.”

“And who will fight for you too.” Allison added.

“Whatever you’re going through, you don’t have to go through it alone.” Dave’s words echoed from Diego’s lips and Klaus let out a broken sob, stumbling away from the ledge and into Vanya who quickly wraped her arms around his shaking frame, both sliding down to the ground.

“Fuck, Klaus! Don’t…ever do that again.” Diego cursed, wiping his eyes furiously.

“Klaus, talk to us. We will listen.” Allison said, taking a seat on the floor next to her shaken brother.

The other’s soon joined.

Klaus looked at them.

Vanya had tears falling down her pale face.

Allison wore a soft comforting smile.

Luther looked at the ground in a mixture of shame and regret.

Five’s brows were furrowed in worry.

Diego, who was trying to hide it, had tears in his eyes, one of them falling onto his face but he was quick to wipe it away.

And Ben, poor Ben stood in the doorway completely dishelved, his eyes red and full of tears, heart visibly broken.

They cared.

They all actually cared.

He wasn’t alone, he didn’t have to be.

So he told them.

He told them everything.

About Vietnam and Dave, about the mausoleoum, about Ben and about why he started taking drugs in the first place.

He just let it all pour out.

 

“Well, shit.” Was Diego’s reaction to the story, “I’m so sorry man.”

“So can you see Ben now?” Allison wanted to know.

Klaus nodded, pointing to the doorframe Ben was leaning against, “He’s right there.

“Hey, Ben.” Allison waved in his direction.

It hit hard, someone actually speaking to him, acknowledging his presence.

“Hey, Allison.” He said, Klaus repeating what he said to Allison.

With Klaus’ help Ben was included into the conversation and, after a lot of effort from Klaus, the others couldn’t see him but they could hear his voice.

It was more than enough.

 

“Thank you, Klaus.” Ben said once everyone left.

“For what?”

“For making me feel _alive_ again.”

“Oh, Ben.” Klaus frowned, “I wish I could hug you right now.”

“Yeah, me too. We both could really use a hug right now.”

“I’ll find a way to bring you back.” Klaus promised, “And Dave. I’ll have you both back if it’s the last thing I do.”

“I believe in you. We all do.” Ben smiled.

“I know.” Klaus smiled, “I believe in myself to.”

And it was true.

For the first time in so long he actually did believe in himself.

He’ll have his brother back.

And the love of his life.

He can do it.

He will.


End file.
